Queen Camilla has been immortalised in a waxwork statue unveiled at Madame Tussauds ahead of King Charles’ Coronation.
Styled in a dark blue gown, the statue will stand alongside Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Throne Room.
Designer Anna Valentine recreated the outfit she designed for Camilla’s attendance at the Diplomatic Reception in December 2022 – paired with a royal blue sash, star of the Order of the Garter and replicas of the Belgian sapphire tiara and the King George VI Victorian Suite.
Fine jewellery experts at Steven Stone have revealed everything you need to know about the real Belgian sapphire tiara and King George VI Victorian Suite – including why they’re such sentimental pieces.
The Belgian Sapphire Tiara
The Belgian Sapphire tiara belonged to Queen Elizabeth II – it was refashioned from a 19th century necklace once owned by Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Goth
It was the first tiara that Camilla wore as Queen Consort, during King Charles’ first state banquet. Queen Camilla is also wearing the tiara in the photo of herself and King Charles that features on the cards that the monarch sends out to mark significant birthdays and anniversaries, which was taken at the same banquet.
This headpiece, which is sometimes called the “Victorian Sapphire Tiara,” matches the King George VI suite perfectly, so it’s no wonder that Queen Camilla wore the pieces together to both the Diplomatic Reception and the State Banquet.
Our experts estimate the headpiece to be worth £5,000,000
The King George VI Victorian Suite
The George VI Sapphires were undoubtedly among Queen Elizabeth’s most meaningful jewels. The demi-parure, which consists of a Victorian-era necklace and earrings, was a wedding gift from her father in 1947. A few years later, the Queen refashioned the necklace, shortening it and removing the largest sapphire stone to turn into a pendant. Sometime during the ’60s, she also commissioned a matching bracelet to accompany the set.
Queen Elizabeth II wore the meaningful jewellery suite for her official Canadian royal portrait in 2020. In 1990, the late monarch took the whole suite with her for a royal tour of Canada – making it a particularly meaningful choice for the portrait.
The incredible sapphire and diamond cluster line necklace originally featured 18 sapphires, sat on a gradient, ranging from 8 to 30cts, before it was redesigned in 1952. The huge sapphires are surrounded by a halo of diamonds, and linked together by additional single stone diamonds, which are between 0.8ct and 1.5ct.
When it comes to the beautiful pair of sapphire earrings, the sapphires look to be around 15ct, with a value in excess of £250,000 to £300,000. The bracelet is probably worth around £500,000 to £600,000.
“Queen Camilla’s waxwork is wearing a recreation of the outfit that she wore to the Diplomatic Reception late last year, including replicas of the sentimental pieces of jewellery that the royal accessorised with – the Belgian Sapphire tiara and King George VI Victorian Suite.
Camilla chose Queen Elizabeth II’s Belgian Sapphire tiara as her first tiara as Queen Consort – worth £5,000,000, the tiara is a historic piece that was refashioned from a 19th century necklace once owned by Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
King George VI Victoria Suite’s features some of Queen Elizabeth II’s most meaningful jewels that were gifted to the late monarch by her Father. Worth £5,000,000, the suite consists of a sapphire and diamond cluster line necklace, a pair of sapphire earrings and a bracelet.”
maxwell stone, creative director, steven stone
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